Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to an analyte concentration alert function for an analyte sensor system. Specifically, the present invention relates to a hypoglycemia alert function for a glucose sensor system that generates an alert based on acceleration data.
Discussion of the Background
Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body's inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood. Treatment for diabetes includes oral medications and injection or infusion of basal and/or bolus insulin. People with diabetes have an increased risk of hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia is defined as a condition characterized by abnormally low blood glucose levels, usually less than 70 mg/dL. Hypoglycemia can also include conditions when the blood glucose of any individual abruptly keeps dropping and goes below a certain threshold (e.g., 70 mg/dL). The most common reasons leading to hypoglycemia in patients include injecting a dose of insulin (e.g., a meal bolus) and then skipping a meal, overdosing on insulin (e.g., through too many injections or through an insulin pump), or strenuous activity (e.g., running or exercising). There are a number of symptoms associated with hypoglycemia (e.g., seizures, etc.). However, a number of people with diabetes either do not exhibit symptoms or are otherwise unaware of their hypoglycemia, a condition known as hypoglycemia unawareness. If left untreated, hypoglycemia has the potential to lead to fatal situations, such as accidents, injuries, unconsciousness, seizures, coma, and, in some cases, death.
Typically, hypoglycemia is treated with the consumption of carbohydrates to restore blood glucose to safe levels and prevent the progression to severe hypoglycemia. People with diabetes need to maintain a log of the amount of daily carbohydrates consumed in order to adequately treat their diabetes. Errors in carbohydrate counting can lead to miscalculated doses of insulin which in turn can lead to hypoglycemia. In severe cases of hypoglycemia (e.g. during seizures and/or unconsciousness) an emergency injection of the hormone glucagon may be required (i.e. a glucagon rescue) to raise the blood glucose to a safe level.
Although some continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) alert users when negative glucose trends are detected and alarm users when the blood glucose falls below a user-defined threshold, these alerts are provided to users when the patient is already hypoglycemic or about just about to be hypoglycemic.
There is presently a need in the art for a continuous analyte monitor with an improved hypoglycemic alert function.